Waiting
DISCLAIMER: INFORMATION IN THIS CHAPTER MAY NOT BE ENTIRELY MEDICALLY ACCURATE FOR THE SAKE OF THE STORYLINE. PLEASE DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH CONCERNING HEALTH CONDITIONS AND WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY HAPPEN.
Sebastian got to the hospital and was approaching the ER entrance just as they were helping you out of the ambulance; they hadn't used sirens since you were stable and able bodied. He jogged to meet up with you. "Hey, babe.", he sighed, putting his arm around you and kissed your head as the paramedics escorted you inside, "I missed you."
You smiled, weakly, "You always miss me."
He nodded, "I really do."
He was trying hard to stay calm, his mind was racing over what could've caused you to pass out. He just prayed it wasn't serious.
Once you were checked in and in a bed in a curtained room, a nurse took your vitals and started a saline IV. Then a doctor came in and talked to you. He said your blood pressure was a little low and that could've contributed to the fainting. He asked if you've had anything else going on lately. You admitted you were stressed about finding a job and you had been having panic attacks. The doctor said that although fainting is rare with panic attacks, they can both still happen simultaneously as a reaction to stress. He said he'd like to do a scan of your brain, just to rule out anything serious.
You looked at Sebastian. He knew you were thinking about money... AGAIN. His eyebrows shot up, but not in surprise; his face was stern, "I said whatever you need."
You replied to the doctor, "Okay."
The doctor let you know that someone would be back to get you for the scan, he didn't say how long.
A nurse pulled back the curtain just enough to peak her head in, "There's a Chris Evans here to see you. Would you like me to bring him back?"
You nodded, "Yes, please."
The nurse returned and opened the curtain just enough to let Chris through. He gave you a gentle hug and pulled up a chair beside your bed. "Hey. How ya doin', hon?"
"I'm doing okay. Little nervous.", you attempted to smile. Sebastian had been standing on the other side of the bed. He sat on the edge and took your hand to calm your nerves.
Chris smiled reassuringly at you, "Ahhh,", he lifted a hand and swiped it downward in a dismissive gesture, "I'm sure everything's fine." He was hiding being worried to death pretty damn well.
"Where's Sharon?", you asked.
"At her house."
"You left her alone? To come to me? Great Chris, she hasn't even met me and now she already hates me."
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Why would she hate you?"
"You don't know women very well. We get jealous of each other really easily."
He shook his head for a beat, like he was doing a double take, still looking confused, "You and the girls in our circle aren't jealous of each other."
You sighed, "Yeah, but that dynamic is a little different; none of us are unconventially close friends with a man another of us wants to be with."
Sebastian raised his eyebrows, titled his head and gave a nod as if to say your have a point.
"Shit.", sighed Chris. "But really, I couldn't not come to you. You're one of my two best friends."
"Why didn't you just bring her?", you asked.
"I dunno, I guess I didn't think that you'd want someone here that you didn't know... And I guess I thought on some level that it would be awkward, given the kind of friendship we have-- or had, before I became exclusive with her.", he dropped his head and looked down at the floor, like he was trying to hide his expression. He took a breath. "Hey, maybe we could go out to dinner tomorrow, the four of us. That way she can meet your guys and see how great you are."
You nodded a little, "That sounds nice."
You looked at Sebastian, who shrugged, "Yeah, sure."
"But Chris,", you added, "given what's already happened, I don't think any amount of me being great is gonna win her over."
Chris tilted his head at you, "Now, (Y/N), that's not fair. She may be a lot more amicable than you're assuming. Just give her a chance."
You shook your head, "You're right. I'm sorry. I will."
You got your brain scan done and you all waited in agony for the results... For an hour. When the doctor came in, Sebastian was sitting up in the bed next to you with his ankles crossed, feet barely hanging off the side and his arm around you. Chris was sitting in a chair next to the bed. You all were watching a dinky television on a swinging arm attached to the wall.
You all perked up as the doctor began, "Well, the scan was normal." A collective sigh of relief and he continued, "As I suspected before, that means that stress is the culprit of the fainting along with the panic attacks. Give it two weeks to get your stress managed and if you have any more episodes of panic attacks and/or fainting after two weeks, you need to get on medication. I want you to start taking B-12 and folic acid supplements for your low blood pressure. The stress management and supplements together will hopefully clear this all up for you. Okay?"
"Thank you.", you half smiled.
"You're welcome. Now, get better,", he gave your shin a friendly pat through the blanket, "you're a nice girl, but I don't wanna see you back here, okay?"
You chuckled, "Okay."
It was only 8:30 PM, so Chris went back to Sharon's to talk to her and ask her to come to dinner with the three of you the next day. She accepted, more out of curiosity about you than anything else.
Sebastian took you to the grocery store to get the supplements the doctor told you to take. He also led you to the ice cream aisle, told you to pick your favorite and informed you that the two of you would be watching a movie together, eating ice cream straight out of the carton and that you would be sleeping in his bed with him tonight. Things just kept happening that made it harder for him to feel like he could leave you alone for any amount of time. You both got home, got ready for bed and watched the movie in the family room in the dark.
Chris came home about 9:30 and just said goodnight then retired to his room for the night.
You and Sebastian both finished the ice cream about 30 minutes into the movie and in about 30 more, you fell asleep next to him, his arm around you and your head on his shoulder. Soon after you fell asleep, he also started to nod off and when his neck finally relaxed, his head quickly dropped backward, snapping him awake. He blinked wide eyed a couple of times and then shook you gently, "Doll. We need to go to bed."
You groaned.
"Come on.", he grunted as he slid away from you and stood.
You sat up, blinking and squinting and he scooped you up bridal style and carried you to his bed.